Instagram Is Giving Snapchat a Run For Its Money

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Jan. 11, 2017, 7:39 PM GMT / Updated Jan. 11, 2017, 7:39 PM GMT

By Alyssa Newcomb

Instagram is beating Snapchat at its own game. Almost.

The photo-sharing app launched Stories, a feature that many called a Snapchat copycat, five months ago. In that time, the feature has built a fan base rivaling Snapchat.

Instagram is beating Snapchat at its own game.Carl Court / Getty Images

Instagram announced today that more than 150 million people use stories every day. Snapchat, which isn't a publicly traded company, has kept its user numbers a mystery. However, a Bloomberg report claimed the app had about 150 million daily users.

Kevin Systrom, founder of Instagram, admitted last year to blatantly ripping off Snapchat, telling TechCrunch that "they [Snap] deserve all the credit."

However, in the same interview, he also said it's about putting your spin on something. He pointed out that Instagram helped bring filters to the forefront of the internet.

The new data released today also shows that people are engaging with Instagram stories, with one out of five stories resulting in a direct message.

All that popularity means one thing — advertisements are coming. As part of today's announcement, Instagram introduced a suite of tools for businesses, allowing them access to analytics and of course, the ability to run full page ads in stories.

Alyssa Newcomb

Alyssa Newcomb is an NBC News contributor who writes about business and technology.